Extensible shoe form



Patented Mar. 15, 1932 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM 'BOUDINOT CONNER, OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

nxrrnnsrnnn snon FORM Application filed October 31, 1929 Serial No.403,837.

This invention relates to an extensible shoe form adapted to be placedin a shoe when the shoe is not in use or when displayed as merchandise,in order to keep the shoe in proper stretched condition to maintain itsshape and prevent wrinkling of the leather.

The invention relates more particularly to an extensible shoe form ofthe type which can I be adjusted to the desired extension position whilethe 'form is in the shoe and then retracted for removal of the form fromthe shoe.

The capabiliy of adjusting the form to the proper extension positionwhile it is in the shoe is of considerable practical importance since itavoids the objectionable result of undue stretching and consequentdistortion of the shoe from its natural shape often occurring in the useof those'extensibleshoe forms form is placed "in the shoe and where theextension adjustment, it not properly estimated and 1nade,results, whenthe form is forced into the shoe, in the referred-t0 undue stretchingand distortion. j

I am aware that the prior art presents extensible shoe forms adjustablewhile'the form is in the shoe, some of these forms being extensible onlyby a positive extension movement of one part of the form, generally thefore or toe part, and others by a positive extensionmovement of both thefore and heel parts, the latter having the advantage of greater rapidityof the adjustment by reason of the double movement, that is of both thefore and-heel parts. Generally, however, in these prior art forms,either the mechanism for extension and retraction of the formintroducesa weak structural connection between the fore and heel parts,or greater strength in that connection has been attained only bycomplications in the structure of the extension and retraction mechanismand substantial modifications in and additions to the usual simple foreand heel parts to mount resulting in a complication and weight ofstructure, 7 unsightliness of appearance" and high cost objectionablefor an article of such simple and "personal use as a shoe tree or form.Y

requiring the extension adjustment before the or coo aerate with thatmechanism and thus Another objectionable feature in certain types of theprior art forms, especially those in which a screw connection betweenthe fore and heel parts of the form is used for the ex,

ment while in the shoe. When such an exten sible shoe form is in itsposition of extended adjustment in a shoe for the purpose of stretchingthe shoe in a manner to keep the shoe in proper shape and preventwrinkling of the leather, considerable stresses are exerted not only inthe median longitudinal line of the form tending to retract or collapsetogether the extended or spaced parts of the form, but also in otherdirections tending to turn the fore and heel parts of the form out oftheir aligned body positions which are most effective in preserving theoriginal shape of the shoe, these stresses being especially severe whenthe shoe is drying on the form from a wet or damp condition.

Accordingly, general objects of my invention include the provision of anextensible shoe form of the type to which my invention has already beenstated to relate, of simple, strong and durable construction both inthe' fore and heel parts and the adjusting mechanism associatedtherewith, and of light weight, attractive appearance and low cost.

More particular objects of my invention include the provision of a shoeform'having improved mechanism for extending and retracting the form, ofsimple construction, re-

. quiring no substantial modifications of or ad- 7 ditions to; the usualsimple structure of fore and heel parts to mount or cooperate with Ithat mechanism, and which mechanism will provide, in any position ofextension of the form, a strong and rigid connection between the foreand heel parts holding them 'in proper alignment to their adjustedpositions.

In'the novel shoe form of my invention, themeans for adjustablyextending the form and holding its parts in adjusted positions are ofsuch structural principles as to present in all positions of theextension adjust V ment a continuous structurally rigid straightlineconnection and abutment between the fore and heel parts of the formalong the median longitudinal line of the form, and rigid elements soengaging the fore and heel parts of the form outside the line of saidconnection and abutment, as to resist the stresses exerted by the shoeupon the form tending to collapse its parts and turn them from theirproper aligned body positions. The means for adjustably extending andretracting the form is also preferably such as to give a doubleextension and retraction; that is, to simultaneously extend or retractboth the fore and heel parts in opposite directions of positivemovements.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a shoe form of whichthe fore and heel parts may be formed of a synthetic resin compositionsuch as bakelite.

The foregoing and other objects and the principles of my invention willmore fully appear from the detailed description of a preferredembodiment of the invention hereinafter presented and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. It is to beunderstood, how ever, that the embodiment described and illustrated issimply one example illustrative of the principles of the invention andis not to be taken as limiting the invention to that precise form, theinvention including other embodiments and modifications of theembodiment shown, all within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 presents a top plan view of the extensible shoe formconstituting, as stated above, a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 presents a bottom plan view of the form in substantially itscondition of extension adjustment as in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 presents a side elevational view of the form in substantiallyits condition of extension adjustment shown in 1 and 2;

Figure l presents a vertical longitudinal sectional view along thelongitudinal axis of the form with certain parts of the operatingmechanism shown in elevation.

In the plan and elevational views shown in Figs. 1 and 3, certaininterior and unexposed parts are indicated in dotted lines.

As hereinbefore stated, the principles of my invention are such as toenable a simple structure of fore and heel parts to be used withoutcomplications of structure for mounting or cooperating with themechanism for extending and retracting the form. In the present example,the fore and heel parts of the simple character referred to are shown at10 and 11, respectively. They are preferably, although not necessarily,of shell-like or hollow form as shown so that each has an interiorchamber or space opening toward the interior chamber or space of theother,

7 ating means as indicated at 12 and 13 respectively for the fore andheel parts.

In the illustrative example of the invention, the means effecting thedouble extension and retraction of the form while at the same timeproviding a rigid straight-line connection and abutment between the foreand heel parts of the form comprises a rotatable shaft l l lying in thevertical longitudinal median plane of the form and having screw threadedend portions designed for threaded relation with the fore and heel partsso that the shaft rigidly connects the two parts of the form and a.turning of the shaft will extend or retract the form.

This threaded relation of the shaft 14 with the two separate fore andheel parts of the form can readily be provided for without introducingcomplications of structure into the fore and heel parts. Where solidfore and heel parts are used, their opposing end portions can beprovided with the required centrally extending threaded bore to receivethe threaded ends of the shaft. Where the fore and heel parts of theform are of the hollow construction shown in the drawings, bosses 15 and16 are provided on the bottom interior walls of those respective parts,and with those bosses apertured and threaded to receive therethrough thethreaded portions of the shaft.

One of the advantageous features hereinbefore referred to ascontemplated by the present invention is the location of the operfor thescrew shaft between the fore and heel parts so as to avoid complicationof the structure of the fore and heel parts either to mount or tocooperate with said operating means. In the present illustrativeembodiment of the invention, such operating means comprises a bevel gear17 fixedly mounted on the unthreaded central portion of the shaft 14 anda bevel gear 18 coacting with the gear 17 to drive the same, the gear 18in turn being manually operated by the handle 19 extending upwardlybetween the fore and heel parts of the form in convenient position forthe manual operation while the form is in the shoe.

Another advantageous feature hereinbefore referred to as contemplated bythe in vention is the provision of means, of a character to introduce nocomplication of struc ture into the fore and heel parts, to keep thoseparts in their proper aligned body positions without any tendency tobodily turn or pivot from those positions in any position of extensionor retraction of the form. Where a screw shaft extension connection isused between the fore and heel parts as in the illustrative embodimentof the invention, this means serves to prevent the bodily turning ofthose parts upon the shaft or with respect to each other. In the exampleshown, this means presents in structural principle a rigid elementmounted and fixedly centered between the fore and heel engaging thoseparts to prevent their turn- Ing movement on the shaft or with respectto each other. .More specifically, in the example shown this means takesthe form of a housing over and fixedly centered by the gear mechanismfor operating the shaft and with side portions of the housing onopposite sides of the shaft extending into sliding engagement with wallportions of the fore and heel partsof the form. The housing is alsopreferably so arranged as to support the part of the gear mechanism notfixed to the shaft.

The housing referred to, as shown in the drawings, has a top portion 20,two side portions 21 and opposite cross walls 22. The housing may bemade of any material. offering suflicient rigidity combined withlightness, such as thin sheet steel or aluminum, or, as hereinafter moreparticularly mentioned, of bakelite or the like synthetic resincomposition. When made of sheet steel or aluminum,the top and sides ofthe housing may conveniently be stamped from a single blank bent to theform as shown and with separate stampings for the two cross walls whichare then assembled and fixed in the top and side walls of the housing bylugs on these blanks extending through slots in the top and sides of thehousing as indicated at 23 in the'drawings. To save metal and also toenhance the appearance of the top of the housing between the fore andheel parts, that top is inwardly curved at its opposite ends as shown.

Where a hollow construction of fore and heel parts of the form is usedas in the present illustrative example, the invention-contemplates thefunctioning of the housing to prevent turning movements of those partson the screw shaft primarily by the bottom walls of the housing, that isthe bottom edges of the side portions 21 in the example given,pressing'on the floor portion of the fore and heel parts. For thatpurpose, the housing'is so mounted and fixedly centered between the foreand heel parts of the form,'as will later be more fully pointed out, asto present its bottom walls in very close relatively sliding engagementwith the floor portions of the fore and heel parts. Although notindispensable to my invention, preferably, especially in a form wherethe floor of the fore and heel parts may be ina plane of slightcurvature from side to side of the form as is sometimes desired,opposite side portionslof that floor are formed in a straight-lineplane, somewhat in the nature of a runway, forthe' close relativelysliding engagementtherewith of the bottom walls of the housing. Suchopposite side portions of the floorsof the fore and heel parts areindicated at 25 in the illustrative embodiment of'the invention shown inFig. 1.

WVhile in the construction, shown, the side walls 21 of the housing also'sl'idably engage parts and slidingly V a portion of the interior sidewalls of the fore and heel parts,as shown in thetop plan view of .Fig.1, and this engagement also prevents the turning of the fore and heel'partsof the form on the screw shaft, thisarrangement, although aseparate feature which may be employed where the contour ofthe interiorsidewalls of the form permits it, is not an essential'feature ofxmyinvention. In other words, template as an essential feature that theside walls of the housing. should fit tightly against or have slidingengagement with the interior side walls of the fore and heel partsandthe housing be controlled in itsrelative move- .ment, or, otherwiseexpressed,sthe fore and heel p arts be con-trolled from :turning on thescrew shaft, by that relation. All the control necessary may beaccomplished by the contact of the bottom wall of the housing withthefloor of the fore and heel parts as hereinbefore described; and thisprovision has the advantage of permitting such changes in theconformation of the parts of the shoe form from that shown in thedrawings as may present a considerable space between the housing and theinside wall of the fore and heel parts. J

The cross walls 22 of the housing are apertured for the shaft .14, andthe top is apertured for the gear handle 19, thehousing thus beingcentered on the gear'mechanism and supportably bearing upon the shaft14: and the interior portions of the fore and heel'parts with which ithas: sliding engagement. provide amounting support for the gear 18 andits handle 19 in the top of the housing, that top is provided with abearing shoulder 26about the aperture through which the handle 19extends, and the handle 19 is provided with a shoulder 27 engaging thebearing shoulder 26 for the support of the handle. The gear 18 is thensupported from the handle 19, the lower portion or stem of the handlebeing squared to engage the gear through a similarly shaped aperturetherethrough and the stem of the handle being headed over, "as indicatedat 28, to complete the attachment. ere aluminum is used for the housing,

a brass bearing collar may advisably take the place of the bearingshoulders 26 referred to above. it

v A further desirablefeature contemplated by my invention is a rapidextension and retraction movement of the fore and heel my invention doesnot con-1.

parts not only by reason of. the provision of 7 means, such as the screwshaft, for moving both of said parts butalso by reasonof the relativepitch of the gears and screw shaft.

To that end, the gear 18 is made of greater the shaft 14, admirablyserve the purpose, although of course the advantages of the inventionare not restricted to these features of detail.

The inward movement of the fore and heel parts in the retraction of theform is limited by the adjacent ends of these parts abutting againsteach other. As a simple and convenient means of limiting the extensionmovement and preventing the running of the fore and heel parts off thescrew, one end of the screw shaft, the end extending into the fore partof the form, is headed over as indicated at 29 to form a stop forengagement with the adjacent end of the boss 15 to restrain furtherturning movement of the screw shaft. With this stop arrangement,together with the sides 21 of the housing engaging the fore and heelparts to restrain them from turning on the shaft, the parts are lockedfrom further extension movement despite the absence of a stop on the endof the screw shaft which projects into the heel part.

I have found a length of five and one half inches plus a suflicientadditional length for the heading up of its end and a diameter of threeeights of an inch suitable for the screw shaft 14, and an over-alllength of two and five eighths inches suitable for the housing over thatshaft and its gear mechanism. These dimensions give an adequate strengthof shaft and a wide range of extension adjustment enabling a single shoeform of the construction here shown to be used with shoes of a widerange of sizes, but it is to be understood of course that the practiceof the invention is not restricted to these dimensions.

The screw threads on the shaft 14 extend inwardly along the length ofthe shaft from its opposite ends but stop short of the point where theshaft extends through the bearing apertures in the cross walls 22 of thehousing, as shown in Fig. 4. 7 Thus the apertured cross walls 22 of thehousing provide a journal bearing for the smooth cylindrical portion ofthe shaft 14. It is further to be not-ed from the arrangement of thehousing and the gears in Fig. 4, that the front cross wall of thehousing is positioned against the hub of the smaller gear 17, and thistogether with the engagement of the gears '17 and 18 and the journalling of the handle 19 of the gear 18 through the center apertureof the housing effectively centers the housing in fixed position overthe shaft and gears between the fore and heel parts of the form.

A heel ring, indicated at 30 on the drawings, is preferably provided forthe assistance it gives to the removal of the form from the shoe and forconvenience of general handling of the form. As this heel ring and itsmounting form no part of my invention, it is sufiicient to state thatthe ring is mounted in aclamp 31 of general U-shape in cross sectionengaging about the upper wall, of the shell-like heel part as shown inFig. 4, and that the clamp has spring arms 32 so engaging the ring as toresiliently hold it in either the vertical or horizontal position foruse.

-It will be noted that the structural and operating principles of myinvention enable the fore and heel parts of the form to be of verysimple formation and I have found that such parts can be made of asynthetic resin composition such as bakelite by molding processes wellknown to those skilled in the art; and my invention contemplates foreand heel parts of such material. I have also found from consideableexperimental tests that bakelite or the like composition givesexceptional characteristics to a shoe form molded of that material,which are of practical importance for the use for which such form isintended, including lightness combined with rigidity, extreme hardnessand durability, absence of warping and non-absorption of odors andmoisture from the shoe. For like reasons my invention also contemplatesthe formation of the housing over the operating mechanism of moldedbakelite or the like material.

In employing fore and heel parts of the form of molded bakelite or thelike material, I also find that the bosses 15, 16 may be provided withthe required threading in the material itself, whereas when employingfore and heel parts of wood, as is commonly done, threaded bushings ofmetal must be inserted in these bosses to receive the screw shaft.

In addition to the advantages of my improved shoe form as hereinbeforeexpressly pointed out and apparent from the construction described,attention is particularly called to the advantage of the screw shaft anddouble gear arrangement with the gears of different ratios. One of thedisadvantages generally characteristic of extensible shoe forms of theprior art which are adjustable after the form is in the shoe, is thetendency of the fore and heel parts to slip back or retract from thepositions to which they have been extended. In my improved shoe form,with the screw and gear mechanism, including particularly the provisionof the larger and smaller gears as hereinbefore described, it ispossible to adjust the extension of the form to the smallest fraction ofan inch while at the same time this mechanism maintains the exact andprecise adjustment without possibility of slipping back or retraction ofthe parts of the form.

Another advantage of my invention in the illustrative en'ibodiment of itshown in the drawings, is the hollow construction of the fore and heel.parts. which provides for much better ventilation than in the case of asolid shoe tree or form and enables the shoe to dry out more quickly.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. An extensible shoe form comprising, in

combination, separate fore and heel partseach formed with an interiorchamber or space opening toward the other and with an apertured bossextending from a wall of said part into said space in aligned positionof said bosses and their apertures, a shaft extending through saidaligned bosses, said shaft and said bosses being provided withcooperating screw threads whereby turning movement of said shaft impartsapproaching and separrating movements to said parts along said shaft toextend and retract said form, manually operable means for turning saidshaft, and stop means on said shaft engaging one of said bosses to limitthe extension movements of said fore and heel parts along said shaft andto retain said parts on said shaft. o

2. An extensible shoe form comprising, in combination, separate fore andheel parts, a central shaft having screw threaded engagement with bothsaid parts whereby rotation of said shaft imparts simultaneous positivemovements to both said parts in approaching and separating directionsalong said shaft and cooperating stop means on said shaft and on one ofsaid parts limiting the separating movement of said parts along saidshaft.

3. An extensible shoe form comprising, in combination, separate fore andheel parts, a central shaft having threaded engagement with both of saidparts whereby rotation of said shaft imparts positive movements toWILLIAM BOUDINOT CONN ER.

said parts in the linear direction extending v and retracting said form,both said parts having aligned flat-surfaced portions on opposite sidesof said shaft and a rigid ele ment centered on said shaft and slidinglyengaging said portions to restrain said parts on the form from turningmovement with respect to each other and said shaft. 7

4. An extensible shoe form comprising, in combination, separate fore andheel parts, a central shaft having threaded engagement with both of saidparts for extending and retracting said form, gear mechanism locatedbetween said each of said parts having a flat-surfaced portion with saidportions aligned and extending transversely of and on opposite sides ofsaid shaft and a housing for said gear mechanism having sides engagingsaid portions of the parts of the form on opposite sides of said shaftto restrain said parts from turning movement on said shaft.

5. An extensible shoe form comprising, in

parts for turning said shaft,

combination, separate fore and heel parts, a

central shaft having threaded engagement with both of said parts forextending and retracting said form, gear mechanism located between saidparts for turning said shaft, said parts having each a flat-surfacedportion aligned with the other and extending beneath said shaft onopposite sides of the same, and a mounting for said gear mechanismhaving sliding engagement with said

